About the Blog:

Guelph Politico is locally sourced and dedicated to covering the political and cultural scene in the City of Guelph. Est. 2008.

Sunday, April 30, 2017

The Politico Calendar for May 2017


May is almost like the start of a whole other season here in Guelph; the University is out for summer, the days are getting noticeably longer and warmer, and the Royal City is as busy as ever. Here's the Calendar for May. 

Friday, April 28, 2017

MANGEZ! Dine Safe Guide for April 16-30, 2017


Twice-monthly, Guelph Politico posts the latest inspection results from the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit inspection of local restaurants, hotels, cafes, grocery stores and other businesses that handle food. We call it "Mangez!", and this column highlights the latest inspections done by WDGPH, and the results they've posted.

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Committee of the Whole Preview - What's on the Agenda for the May 1 Meeting?


May's Committee-of-the-Whole meeting will be a packed one, but not with anything too terrible controversial. A lot of budget touch-ups, some new speed limits, and the updates to new and ongoing programs are all on the docket.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

GUELPH POLITICAST #76 - Charlie Angus in the Green Room with a Story

This time next month, the federal Conservative leadership race will be concluded, and we will know who the new leader of the Opposition is going to be. But when that race is over, there's still one more left to go, the competition for the leadership of the NDP, and there's a 1-in-5 chance that Charlie Angus will get the job.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

VIDEO: Justin Trudeau at Linamar. He Sees Stuff, Talks to People

The prime minister coming to town is big news, but does Justin Trudeau make any news when he comes to Guelph other than the fact that he was here? Today, as it was this time last year, the answer is no, but he made the day of a lot of the working folk at Linamar's Innovation Centre in a tour of the plant floor that saw no press questions, and no PM answers (not that we would be able to hear ourselves anyway). We do, however, have the following video of his visit.

Monday, April 24, 2017

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for April 24, 2017


It will be a very busy night at city council complete with the pivotal debate on internet voting in the 2018 municipal election. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico's preview of tonight's meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of tonight's council meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Let's Tour Doors Open Guelph!


It's time again for the annual celebration of local heritage by going behind the scenes in some of Guelph's many famous and historically relevant buildings with Doors Open Guelph. Guelph Politico is taking part by trying to see how many sites I can visit during the day with 15 different stops spread out across the City.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

VIDEO: Behind the Scenes of the Petrie Building Renovations



This Saturday is Doors Open Guelph, the annual behind-the-scenes tour of all the places you'd like to see but don't normally have access to. One of the pit stops in this year's edition is the Petrie Building, which is a chance for the public to see the long and hotly anticipated renovation of the much neglected downtown Guelph heritage building. Due to circumstances, only the second floor will be open to visitors Saturday, but back in February members of city council, staff, and the media were given a behind the scenes tour of the work in progress, and now you can take that tour too...

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

VIDEO: Guelph Central Station is Complete with Ribbon Cutting

It's been a long, long road since ground was first broken on Guelph Central Station with the demolition of the old Greyhound Bus Terminal (2011), but the hub is now complete with the official ribbon cutting marking the end of renovations at the historic train station. In a ceremony this morning, Mayor Cam Guthrie, members of council, MP Lloyd Longfield, MPP Liz Sandals, and representatives from VIA Rail, Metrolinx, Greyhound and Guelph Transit re-opened the train station, ready to serve the future.

GUELPH POLITICAST #75 - Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington

Guelph's status as a volunteer friendly community is almost as renown as our environmental stewardship and our musical devotion. April is that time of year to remind us of who helps make a community, and that is the people who give up their own free time to give back to that community, and who better to share that point of view that the people of the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington?

Monday, April 17, 2017

How Can You Help Out on Earth Day in Guelph?


This coming Saturday is Earth Day, so there is going to be a lot of activity around the Royal City to mark the occasion. Here's an overview of events in the Guelph area including clean-ups, tree planting, crafts and a film screening. 

Saturday, April 15, 2017

MANGEZ! Dine Safe Guide for April 1-15, 2017


Twice-monthly, Guelph Politico posts the latest inspection results from the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit inspection of local restaurants, hotels, cafes, grocery stores and other businesses that handle food. We call it "Mangez!", and this column highlights the latest inspections done by WDGPH, and the results they've posted.

Friday, April 14, 2017

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for the April 24 Meeting?


On this month's council meeting agenda, there's the integrity commissioner's report, nominations for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and... Oh, who are we kidding?! The online voting debate is the one we're all going to watching...

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

VIDEO: How to City Council?

It came up incidentally at the planning meeting this past Monday: how do you find out about city council agenda items, and how can you delegate if you want to have a say? Good questions, and the answers themselves are pretty easy to get if you know where to look. So if you're looking at how to delegate to city council, find the upcoming meeting agendas, or just want to be more civic minded, please enjoy the below instructional video...

Monday, April 10, 2017

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for April 10, 2017


It looks like a relatively brief agenda for the monthly planning meeting. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico's preview of tonight's meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of tonight's council meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify.

Saturday, April 8, 2017

How the Guelph Mercury Covered Vimy Ridge

The attack began Easter Monday, April 9, 1917. By the time it was over, Canada had secured its place in history as an army, as a nation, and as a people, and we've come to understand that deeply in the last 100 years. But I wondered: how was the battle seen at the time, how was it read and understood by the people of Guelph through their daily newspaper? To the microfiche!

Friday, April 7, 2017

Money for HOPE House Among New Funding for Ontario Non-Profits


A lot of people in Guelph are going to get a lot of help thanks to new funding for Lakeside HOPE House delivered Guelph MPP Liz Sandals today. In an announcement at HOPE House's downtown location today, Sandals pledged $150,000 over three years to "enhance the financial stability of those that need their help."

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

GUELPH POLITICAST #74 - The Central Student Association

Today is the last day for University of Guelph students to vote in a run-off election for next year's President of the Central Student Association. It's no small position, but getting undergrad students to vote for the person representing them to the university admin, the provincial and federal governments, and on all matter of student issues is no small feat itself. Fortunately, next year's slate of Vice-Presidents is already in place.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for the April 10 Meeting?

It will be a relatively light planning meeting on Monday with two matters of development and two new Notices of Motion.

Monday, April 3, 2017

LIVE BLOG: Committee of the Whole for April 3, 2017


Chickens, taxes and voting are all on the agenda for this month's committee meeting. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico's preview of today's meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of today's committee meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify.